this tabernacle he was circumcyded worshypped of the thre kynges dwelled with vs in erthe in our pylgrymage .xxxij. yere and more In this tabernacle he deyed for mankynde rose from deth to lyfe on Ester daye styed vp in to heuen on holy thursdaye very god and very man there he sytteth on his faders right honde aboue all heuens in this tabernacle lorde kyng of all thynge In this tabernacle he shall come ayen at the dome to deme the quycke and the deed And all the festes that we holde of ony sayntes we halowe them holde them for the good dedes that they dyde whyle they dwelled here in the tabernacle of theyr bodye in hope to come to the endelesse tabernacle full of Ioye blysse without ende Of whiche tabernacle god speketh in the gospell whan he byddeth the riche men make poore men theyr frendes that they may resceyue them in to the endelesse tabernacle of whiche speketh Dauyd QuaÌ„ dilecta tabernacula tua dnÌ„e virtutuÌ„ concupiscit et deficit aia mea in atria dnÌ„i Lorde of vertues how louely how lykynge ben thy tabernacles My soule sayth he desyreth longeth to entre in to the halles of our lorde And for his desyre is delayed he fayleth and faynteth for sorowe And so yâ— solempnyte that euer shall laste shall be a solempnyte of tabernacles whan we shall dwelle in endelesse tabernacles with endlesse reste Ioye blysse There the fyrste daye the .viij. daye shall be full holy whiche daye is the sondaye For that is the fyrste daye it is the .viij. daye shall be the laste daye euer lastynge in Ioye and blysse And therfor in the festes of yâ— newe lawe that ben festes of the tabernacles is yâ— sondaye pryncypally halowed as god badde than For it was the fyrste daye and it is the .viij. daye and it shal be the laste daye euer lastynge in Ioye blysse Caplm .v. DIues Why badde god that we sholde thynke to halowe wel the holy dayes the sabbot ¶ Pauper Ther is thre maner of sabbottes that is to saye of reste or of halowynge Scilicet pectoris temporis et eternitas That is to saye of reste of herte of tyme of endlesse restynge By reste of herte of thought men come to reste of tyme. And by reste of thought of tyme men come to endelesse reste So without reste of herte and of thought noo man may come to the endelesse reste that the sabbot and the holy daye betokeneth And therfore god bad vs that we sholde pryncypally trauayll to haue sabbot reste of herte of thought without whiche reste sabbot we may not well halowe ony holy daye And therfore Cryste sayd in the gospell that out of the herte whan it is out of rest come euyll thoughtis manslaughters auoutrers lecherers theftes false wytnesses dyspyte of god Mathei .xv. whiche synnes destroye charyte and peas and ben causes of moche vnrest in this worlde and lette reste of tyme so that vnnethes they may be ony tyme in reste And therfore god sayth thynke that thou halowe well thyn holy daye Bethynke the yf thou be in charyte reste of herte with god man And yf thou be styred ayenst thyn euen crysten by wrath hate or enuye or haue ony heuy herte ayenst thy brother go as god byddeth in the gospell be fyrste recouÌ„seylled to thy brother and than come make thyn offrynge of holy prayer of thankynge of praysynge and of thy gyftes to god And but thou do soo put awaye all rancour and heuynesse of herte ellys thyn halowynge thy sabbot is not pleasauÌ„t to god Also bethynke the yf thou be in dedely synne and repente the and be shreuen as soone as thou myght in good maner so offre vp thy selfe to god by charyte by sorowe of herte make thy selfe holy and than art thou able to halowe well the holy daye For as longe as thou art in dedely synne by wyll or by dede so longe thou halowest not thyn holy daye For thou dost seruyle werke of synne and dost dyspyte to the holy daye whiche is or deyned that men sholde than amende them and serue god more specyally than in the werken daye And as longe as man or woman is in dedely synne they serue the deuyll and not to pleasauÌ„ce of god Also god byddeth that men sholde bethynke theym to halowe well the holy daye For in the holy daye namely on yâ— sondaye men sholde drawe theyr wyttes to gydre from the worlde bethynke them yf they had ought trespassed that woke by recheleshede or by couetyse or by lechery or by ony other wyse and aske god forgyuenesse Also thynke on the good spede and benefyces that god hath sente theym that woke or euer byfore thanke hym therof Thanke hym of his endelesse mercy and of his endelesse charyte that he shewed to mankynde Thynke how he made man to his owne lykenesse to be heyre cytezeyn of heuen Thynke how he made all thynge for man Thynke what blysse he hath ordeyned to man and woman yf they doo well what payne yf they do euyll Caplm .vi. THerfore sayth Orygenes suê“ LeuiticuÌ„ .xxviij. On the sondaye thou sholdest doo noo worldly thynges but oonly gyue the to god and also to ghoostly thynges Than sayth he come to chirche and laye thyn ere 's to goddes worde thynke heuenly thynges thynke on the lyfe that we hopen all for to haue in endelesse blysse Thynke on the laste dome how harde that shall be and how strayte Take than none hede to this worlde ne to thynges bysyble But on the holy daye haue thy ghoostly eye pryncypally to thynges that ben to come that yet ben Inuysyble He that thus doth sayth he haloweth wel his holy daye and he maketh the sacrefyce of his sabbot And therfore the lawe sayth thus we haue ordeyned that all sondayes be kepte with all maner worshyp from euen to euen and that men absteyne theym from all maner vnlefull werkes that ther be noo markette holden on the sondaye ne plee ne no man dampned to deth ne to payne ne none othe taken solempnely but yf it be for peas or for some other grete nede Extra li. ij.ti de ferijs Omnes dies dnÌ„icos The lawe sayth that men sholde no thynge do on the sondaye but gyue theym to god ne do no seruyle werke But that daye sholde be occupyed in pray synge worshyppynge of god and in ghostly songes De con di .iij. Ieiunia Men sholde on yâ— holy daye serue god with herte mouth and werke With herte thynke as I haue sayd With mouth well spekynge in prayer praysynge and worshypynge of god and good informacyon of theyr euen crysten In werke also of dedes of almesse in peas makynge accordynge of neyghbours suche other But now alas it is fulfylled that Ieremye sayd Trenorum pri â— Viderunt eam hostes et deriseruÌ„t sabbata
lorde god And in the newe lawe he sayth thus Deum timete regem honorificate Drede ye god and worshyppe ye your kynge .i. petri .ij. That is to say For drede of god worshyp thou thyn elder and for drede of god worshyp thou thy kynge thy souerayne and al that be in hygher degre than thou art For sythen god hath put them in degre of worshyp thou muste for drede of god worshyppe them And but thou worshyp them ellys thou offendest god Omnes honorate Worshyp ye all men women after ther astate and ther dygnyte And saynt Poule byddeth that all thynge sholde be do honestly and in ordre OiÌ„a honeste et scdm ordineÌ„ fiant .i. ad corum .xiiij. Caplm .xxiij. ALso leue frende by this commauÌ„dement we be bouÌ„de to worshyp holy angels sayntes in heuen for they be our faders in age in worshyp in cure in kepynge of vs. For they longen after vs that ther nombre ther company that was lested by the pryde of lucyfer myght be restored ayen by saluacoÌ„n of vs. And therfore nyght and daye they prayen for vs to god for helpe and grace nedefull to vs. Of these faders speketh saynt Poule in his pystle and sayth thus I knele praye for you nyght and daye the fader of our lorde Ihesu cryste of whom is named all maner of faderhede in heuen and in erthe Ex quo omnis paternitas nominat in celo et in terra ad Ephe .iij. For as the glose sayth ther dysposycyon the angellys be our faders in heuen ordeyned for vs and in erthe prelates be our faders hauynge cure and kepynge of vs. And so bothe prelates in erthe and angellys in heuen ben our faders And therfore as all these clerkes sayen Eche man woman hath two angels assygned to hym one of god an other of the fende For the fonde Sathanas att goddes suffraunce assygneth to hym a wycked angell to tempte hym and to lese hym But god of his goodnes assygneth hym a good angell to saue hym and to kepe hym Of whiche good angell cryste sayth in the gospell that they see alwaye the face of the fader in heuen for they be alwaye in his presence speke for vs and praye for vs. And therfore sayth saynt Ierom vpon the same worde of cryste that angels bere our prayers and our good dedes in to heuen and kepe and defende vs ayenst the malyce and the sleyght of the fende And therfore the angell Raphaell whan he had ledde the sone of Tobye in to fer contree and saued hyÌ„ from many perylles broughte hym ayen in grete welth he sayd to Tobye whan thou praydest with bytter teres beryedeste the deed bodyes and leftest thy mete and haddest deed bodyes by daye in thyn house beryeste them by nyght for goddes sake ayenst the wyll of the wycked kynge Senacheryb Than offered I thy prayer to our lorde god Thobie .iiij. Also we rede in the fourth booke of kynges the .vi. chaptre That the prophete Helyzee was sodaynly by nyght besyeged in the Cyte of Dothaym with the oost of the kynge of Syrye In the morowe the seruaunt of Helyzee sawe the oost about the Cyte he was full sory sayd to his mayster Helyzee Alas alas alas what shal we do we be so besyeged with our ennemyes that we may not escape Than Helyzee sayd to hym Drede ye not for we haue more folke with vs than they haue with them Than Helyzee prayed to god that he wolde open the eyen of that seruaunt that he myght see what helpe Helyzee had with hym And anone he sawe the hylles about Helyzee full of horse charettes brennynge as fyre a grete people arayde to batayll that was the oost of angellys sent of god for kepynge of Helyzee through whos helpe the prophete Helyzee ledde all the oost that had besyeged hym in to the Cyte of Samarye amonges all ther enemyes for they were so blent that they wyst not whether they went They come to take Helyzee and Helyzee toke theym with helpe of angels and dyde with them what he wolde And therfor Dauyd sayth Montes in circuitu eius et dnÌ„s in circuitu ppli sui The hylles that is to saye the angellys be about the good man and the good woman to kepe them and god is about his people to saue theym And therfore saynt Cecyle sayd to her husbonde Valaryan I haue goddes angell that loueth me full well and kepeth my bodye with grete suerte that noo man shall defoule me And yf thou wyll by foule loue defoule me he shall â—lee the. And yf thou loue me with clene loue and wyll kepe my maydenhode hole clene he shall loue the as well as me And whan thou art crystened thou shalt see him Anone her husbonde Valeryan by her couÌ„seyll went and was crystened of the bysshop saynt Vrban And whan he was crystened he cam ayen fouÌ„de saynt Cecyle prayenge in closet the angell standynge besydes her with wynges fethers ful bryght his face shone glymered as the flaÌ„me of fyre He had in eyther hande a garlonde made of roses lelyes full fayre tresshe and full swete in smellynge He gaaf vnto saynt Cecyle one an other to Valeryan and bad them kepe them in clennes both of bodye of soule For why sayd he I haue brought theÌ„ out of paradyse And ye shall knowe by this token for they shall alwaye be grene fresshe neyther welke ne fade ne lese ther swete sauour and no man ne woman may see them but they that loue clenne s se and chastyte as ye doo We rede also in the lyfe of saynt Agnes that whan she was but .xiij. yere of age suffered deth for the loue of god and for the loue of chastyte foâ— she wolde not assent to be wedded to the grete lordes sone of Rome for he was hethen And also for she wolde kepe her mayndenhode to cryste She was made naked ledde to the bordell house to be defouled of synfull wretches But sodaynly her here wexe soo moche that it hylled and hydde all her bodye And whan she cam to the bordell house her good angell was redy and brought her a clothe as whyte as snowe full mete to her bodye and be lapped her with so grete lyght that ther myght no man loke vpon her ne no man durste entre the place Thanne the lordes sone as ful hardy ran in to that lyght for to defoule her And anone the fende whom he wolde haue serued slough hym But saynt Agnes with her prayer to god and helpe of her good angell reysed hym from deth to lyfe to shame shenshyp of all hethen people For anone he went out of that house cryed openly that there was no god but cryste and desspysed her mawmettes and ther false byleue Also whan saynt Agace was buryed her angell in the lykenesse of a yonge man clothed in clothe of
x ¶ How grete synne it is to swere by goddes bodye by goddes herte other partes of cryste how they sholde be punysshed by lawe canon lawe Imperyall ca. xi ¶ How they synne that swere nyce othes as by cok by our laken by hode tepat suche other Also that ye truly nay truly ben none othes ca. xij ¶ It is more synne a man to forswere hym by god than by ony creature A man swerynge a lefull thynge by his hode is bouÌ„de to kepe his othe A crysten man may lefully take an othe profered of an hethen man yâ— swereth by his false goddes but he may not styre hym to swere so On what wyse seruauÌ„tes ben bouÌ„den by theyr othes to be true to theyr maysters ca. xiij ¶ Successours be bouÌ„de to kepe that theyr predecessours bouÌ„de them to by othe How a man may be vnbouÌ„de of his othe how not A vowe byndeth harder than an othe though a man be clene shreuen of dedely synne yet maye he not swere sykerly that he is not gylty cause why A man swerynge two contraryous othes shal kepe the fyrste yf it be lefull Yf he make two vowes contrarye yâ— gretter vowe shall be kept ca. xiiij ¶ What vowe is of vowes made in dysease of wyues vowes of childerns vowes of seruauntes vowes A dede done with a vowe is more medefull than the same thynge doo without vowe of vowes made vnder condycyon For foure causes a man is vnbouÌ„de of his vowe A mayden that vowed chastyte after is corrupte yet she is bouÌ„den to contynence in as moche as she may so it is of other vowes that maye not fully be kepte Of vowes of nede of vowes of free wyll Ryghtfull cause auctoryte of the souerayne ben necessarye in dyspensacoÌ„n or chaungynge of a vowe The husbonde ne the wyfe may not entre in to relygyon but yf that the other make perpetuell vowe of contynence whiche vowe is solempne and how it letteth matrymonye Brekynge of faste in sekenesse is not brekyng of abstynence ca. xv ¶ Of othes made in hastynesse of childreÌ„s othes wyues othes ca. xvi ¶ Periury is gretter synne than maÌ„slaughter causes why that periurye is cause of moche manslaughter of many grete harmes that come of forswerynge ca. xvij ¶ What penauÌ„ce longeth by the lawe to forswerers why so grete penauÌ„ce Also what vengeauÌ„ce hath fallen in Englonde for periurye ca. xviij ¶ Goddes name is taken in vayn by mysheryÌ„g that in dyuers maner c.xix ¶ Goddes name is taken in vayn by brekynge of couenauÌ„t made in goddes name confermed by swerynge in goddes name Of the othe of Gabonytes made to Iosue how that periurye is cause of hongre many myscheues ca. xx ¶ The thyrde coÌ„mauÌ„dement ¶ On what maner god rested the seuenthe daye and six causes why god badde the seuenthe daye to be halowed Ca. I. ¶ Of thre maner coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t cerymonial Iudicial moral also dyuerse causes why the halowynge of yâ— sabot is chauÌ„ged from the seuenth daye vnto the sondaye ca. ij ¶ Fayre declarynge how halowynge in the satyrdaye was cerymoniall why it ceased ca. iij ¶ All the testes of the newe lawe ben festes of tabernacles why yâ— sondaye is pryncypaly halowed ca. iiij ¶ Of thre maner sabotes causes why god badde vs haue mynde to halowe the sabot daye ca. v ¶ What holy occupacoÌ„ns men sholde haue an sondayes and on other festes ca. vi ¶ An other cause why god badde haue mynde to halowe yâ— holy daye For men sholde so ordeyne theyr occupacyons on werke dayes yâ— they sholde not nede to breke the holy daye also whiche ben seruyle werkes ca. vij ¶ Why god bade man beest to reste on yâ— holy daye how it is vnderstande that god rulfylled his werke in the vij daye yâ— mercy is fulfyllynge perfeccoÌ„n of al goddes werke ca. viij ¶ Of foure maner sabottes what they betokenen ca. ix ¶ Why the sabot in yâ— olde lawe was more solempne than other festes of yâ— tyme how all the festes of the newe lawe ben dayes sabotes of our lord specyaly the sondaye Causes why more soleÌ„pnyte is made in some other festes than in comon sondayes why eche thursdaye is not halowed as it was somtyme of the processyon that is done on sondayes ca. x ¶ Holy dayes that holy chirche hath ordeyned ben to be kept how the sondaye though it be the .viij. daye yet it is the .vij. daye in obseruaunce of the coÌ„mauÌ„dement ca. xi ¶ How the nombre of six is a parfyte nombre therfor god made the worlde in six dayes in the sixthe daye in the sixth age of the worlde he bycame man ca. xij ¶ Causes why god badde reste on the vij daye of seuen blysses that men shall haue in heuen ca. xiij ¶ How longe the holy daye sholde behalowed why men rynge in vigyles at myddaye how grete nede pyte excuse werkes done on holy dayes what maner folke be excused though they trauayle on the holy daye capitulum .xiiij. .xv. ¶ How it is lefull to begynne Iourneyes on holy dayes or to trauayle about makynge of chirches how not Vytaylers and other chapmen sholde not ryde fro towne to towne to vse theyr markettes on holy dayes for suche markett sholde not be holden on sondayes neyther in sanctuarye what houre so euensonge be sayd on vygyles or holy dayes the holy daye is to be kept from euen to euen How men sholde axe doubtes of theyr curates what IgnorauÌ„ce excuseth ca. xvi ¶ In what maner the seruauÌ„t is excused of his trauayle on the holydayes by the byddynge of his souerayne to the souerayne is halowynge of the holydaye pryncypaly boden In what maner playes dauÌ„ces ben lefull on the holy dayes And in what maner men sholde both mourne also make myrth on holydayes ca. xvij ¶ Where it is grounded in holy wryte that men may make mery and fare well on holy dayes and why fastynge is defended on sondayes why it sholde not be moche vsed in pasche tyme holy wrytt sheweth some dauÌ„ces and songes to be plesaunt to god and these two thynges sadnesse and gladnesse sholde be kepte in goddes seruyce ca. xviij ¶ Whiche ben yâ— coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of the fyrste table whiche of yâ— seconde why how the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t be coÌ„preheÌ„ded in yâ— two coÌ„mauÌ„demÌ„t of charyte how yâ— thre fyrst coÌ„mauÌ„demÌ„t ben applyed to the thre persones in trynyte after declarynge of this fyrste coÌ„mauÌ„dement of charyte thou shalt loue thy lorde god with all thyne heâ—te with all thy soule ca. xix ¶ Also how we sholde loue god with all our herte with all our soule â— how by the thre fyrst coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t we be taught fayth hope charyte how these thre coÌ„mauÌ„dementes teche vs to loue god in herte worde dede caplm .xx. ¶ The fourth coÌ„mauÌ„dement ¶
be buryed in crysten buryelles Also in token that he shall quycken ayen ryse vp from deth to lyfe atte daye of dome go vp to heuen for his charyte whiche he had by his lyfe as the encense styed vp by the hete of the fyre And for the same cause is the graue encensed in token that he shall awake ryse from deth to lyfe Also the bodye the graue ben encensed in token that it is pleasaūt to god that holy chirche prayed for hym But this maner of encensynge done to the clergye to the people to the deed bodyes to the graue sholde be done with encense not halowed ne blyssed for it is none offrynge And as touchynge encensynge done in the presence of ymages as it semeth to me it is not done proprely to the ymages but byfore the ymages in dyuerse sygnyfycacyons or tokenynges For whan encensyng is done byfore a paynted ymage that representeth Cryste whiche is very god man It semeth to me y◠the encensynge sygnefyed that all deuocōn charytable prayer whiche is bitokened by encense sholde pryncypally stye vp to god whan encensyng is done byfore ony ymage of our lady or of other sayntes it may sygnefye that the prayers of sayntes whiche praye for vs wretches in erthe stye vp by theyr grete charyte vnto the mayeste of god ¶ Diues Syth encensyng is not done to the people by waye of worshyppyng why encense they fyrste the soueraynes more thanne the subgettes ¶ Pauper For in all thyng muste be kepte ordre in doynge And also in token that as they ben pryncypal in state dygnyte so sholde they be pryncypall in deuocyon charyte and gyue other good ensample Caplm .xvi. DIues Why worshyp we god and praye to hym more in the eest than in to the weste southe and northe ¶ Pauper Eest and Weste Southe and Northe and ouer all it is lewfull and medefull to worshyp god as hym that is ouer all lorde of all thynge But for to drawe crysten people to one maner doyng to flee dyfformyte Therfor holy chirche hath ordeyned that men sholde in chirche other places yf it may be well-done worshyp god praye hym prayse hym in the Eest as the lawe sheweth well Distinct xi ecclesiasticarum And that for dyuerse causes Fyrst for Cryste deyed vpon the crosse in to the weste therfor in our prayer we sholde tourne vs in to the eest to see how Cryste for vs henge vpon y◠tree for to haue an eye to his passyon worshyp hym that deyed for vs all vpon the tree Also to lette the people to sue the Iewes in maner of worshyppyng For atte goddes ordenaūce they worshyped westwarde in token that theyr lawe theyr maner worshyppynge in theyr cerymonyes sholde soone passe and go downe make an ende as the daye endeth passeth awaye in to the weste And also in token that for ony worshypp or praysynge or for prayer that they dyde yet they sholde go downe to helle tyll the newe lawe came whan Cryste deyed for vs alle And for the same reason Cryst deyed westwarde and in his deyeng sayd Consūmatum est That is to saye It is ended For in his deth the olde testamente ended wente downe as the sonne and the daye gooth downe in the weste And therfore we crysten people worshyp in to the eest by techyng of the holy ghoost in token that our lawe shall sprynge and sprede as the daye comynge as the sonne ryseth spryngeth out of the cest and as all the sterres ben moost bryghtest in the eest and whan they go in to the weste all they begynne to waxe dymme derke so was the olde lawe full dym me and full derke But the newe lawe is open bryght and clere Also we worshyp Cryste moost in the eest for he was moost despysed in the Eest whan he on a good frydaye henge on the crosse tourned in to y◠weste whan the Iewes stode byfore hym passed byfore hym with many scornes despytouse wordes with mowes many a Iape they sayd Vach q ◠destruis templum dei Tprut for the that destroyed goddes Temple And for he was moost despysed in the eest of the Iewes and hethen people Therfore crysten people worshyppe hym moost agayne in to the eest And for he was moost despysed for vs on y◠good frydaye therfore we worshyp hȳ moost on the good frydaye And in this maner as moche as we may we tourne all his despyte in to worshyp of hym Also we worshyp god in y◠eest in tokē that righ as the sonne ryseth vp in y◠eest so we byleue that Cryst rose vp from deth to lyfe and in that we worshyp hym as hym that rose from deth to lyfe shall lyue without ende Also in token that we longe to come ayen to the blysse of paradyse that we loste in the eest praye god that we may with his mercy come ayen therto ¶ Diues These reasons ben good But why were than the .xxv. men blamed of god for they worshyped eestwarde at the rysyng of the sonne as we fynde Ezechiel .viij. ¶ Pauper Not for that they worshypped god eestwarde For Danyell many other worshypped god eestwarde west south north as he is worthy for to be worshyped ouer all A solis ortu vsque ad occasum laudabile nomē dn̄i From the sonne vp rysyng vnto the goyng downe goddes name is praysable worshyfull But they were blamed for they worshypped the sonne in his rysyng dyde dyuyne worshyppe therto in despyte of goddes Temple of goddes lawe as many fooles yet do now a dayes worshyppynge the sonne in his rysynge y◠newe mone in his fyrst shewyng ¶ Diues They worshyp hym that made the sonne the mone ¶ Pauper Yf they do so they do well but I drede they do not all so And as sayth a grete clerke Leo the pope in a sermon for asmoche as it hath a lykenesse of ydolatrye custome of hethen people men sholde absteyne theym therfro For the people is ful moche enclyned to folye to ydolatrye Caplm .xvij. DIues That is soth For these dayes men doo worshyp to the sonne mone sterres y◠for to worshyp the sterres the planetes the crafte of astronomye they wyll putte out god of his maysterye out of his kyngdom his lordshyp and out of his fredom make hym more boūde to sterres than euer was ony kynge or ony lorde or ony man vpon erthe They wyll be of goddes pryue coūseyll wyll god or not and rule his domes his dedes his werkes all by theyr wyttes by the course of the planetes in somoche that as they saye ther shall no man ne woman be hole ne seke foule ne fayre riche ne poore wyse ne foole good ne wycked but by the werkyng of the bodyes aboue by theyr wyttes soo that they can telle it afore Ther shall falle no
myschyef ne welthe neyther to persone ne to comunyte but by her wyttes by yâ— course of planetes None hungre morayne ne tempeste no sekenesse â—oo warre shall falle but by theyr wyttes by the werkynge of the bodyes aboue For as they saye the bodyes aboue rule all thyng here bynethe And thus they wyl make god more thralle of lesse power than ony kyng or lord vpon erthe For why our lyege lorde the kyng god saue his lyf hath power fredom of a page for to make a yoman of a yoman a gentylman of a gentylman a knyght of a poore man a grete lorde without leue or helpe of the planetes And yf a man trespasse ayenst hym be taken with treasone he is of power to doo hym to be hanged drawen to take from hym his heyres the herytage make hym full poore And he is of power to make his true lyegeman riche though he be right poore This fredom this powir hath our lyege lorde our kyng where soo the planetes ben or in what sygne in what respecte or in what constellacoÌ„n or coniunccyon our kyng may doo all this axe the planetes no leue they may not lette hym ne all the astronomers with all theyr calculacoÌ„n though they watche stare after the sterres tylle they lese theyr hedes may not let hyÌ„ ne saue oo maÌ„nes lyfe that the kyng wyll haue deed Moche more than the kyng of heuen that made sonne mone sterres all thyng of nought ruleth gydeth weldeth al thyng at his wyll may make riche poore fayre foule hole seke wyse foole good or wycked whom he lyketh without ony helpe of the planetes And yf ony persone or comunyte trespasse ayenst hym he may chastyse hym by hungre by moreyne by sekenesse by tempest by swerde by pouerte by losse of catel what wyse he wyll and he may rewarde his true seruauÌ„tes as hyÌ„ lykith both in this worlde in yâ— other worlde axinge the planetes no leue ne couÌ„seyle of astronomers Caplm .xviij. PAuper As we fynde in holy wryte GenÌ„ i.c. At the begyÌ„nyng of the worlde whan god made all thyng of nought the fourth daye he made sonne mone sterres sette them in the fyrmament to gyue lyght to the creatures here byneth that the sonne pryncypally sholde shyne gyue lyght by daye mone sterres by nyght More ouer as sayth the boke he made them ordeyned them for to parte the daye from the nyght they sholde be in tokenes tymes dayes yeres that by the tokens of yâ— bodyes aboue men sholde knowe yâ— daye from the nyght one daye from an other wyte what daye it were what tyme of yâ— daye what nyght what tyme of the nyght what yere what tyme of yâ— yere what moneth what tyme of the moneth Also god ordeyned theÌ„ made them that by the tokens by yâ— bodyes aboue men sholde knowe whaÌ„ it were tyme to slepe tyme to wake tyme to trauayle tyme to reste tyme to halowe tyme to labour tyme to ete tyme to faste tyme to sette tyme to sowe tyme to ere tyme to repe to mowe And therfore SalomoÌ„ sayth Ecclïastes .iij. That all thyng hath his tyme. all thyng vnder heuen passeth awaye by space of tyme. And so god made the fyrmament aboue with bryght bodyes that ben therin to serue mankynde other creatures also of lyght tyme. Of lyght as a lanterne that may not be quenched Of tyme as an orloge that may not fayle God made hem to serue man and not man to serue them He made them for man not man for them He made them not to gouerne mam but he gaaf man woman wytte dyscrecoÌ„n to gouerne them selfe with his grace by the lyght and wyssynge of tyme whiche he hath of the bodyes aboue that by theyr lyght they may see to werke and by theyr styrynge and by theyr course they may wyte whan it is tyme for to werke And therfore sayth the lawe .xxvi. qÌ„ quinto Non licet in glosa That the bodyes aboue ben tokens not causes of thynges here byneth And as a lampe or an orloge ben necessarye to relygyouses by nyght where by they may ryse and rule them selfe in goddes seruyce so serue the bodyes aboue to mankynde that we may haue of them bodely lyght and by theyr mouynge knowe our tyme for to serue our god eche man woman in his degree And as the lampe the orloge in the dortour rule not the relygyouses but the relygyouses rule them by the lampe by the orloge in cytees townes men rule them by the clocke yet proprely to speke the clocke ruleth not them but a man ruleth the clocke Right so man woman beest byrdes other creatures rule them selfe by the bodyes aboue the bodyes aboue rule not theym And therfor they sholde not be called gouernours of this worlde for they gouerne not this worlde they be nought ellys but Instrumentes of goddes gouernauÌ„ce For it fareth by god the bodyes aboue as it doth by the smyth his gryÌ„dynge stone by the wryght his axe by the orloger his orloge â–ª ¶ Diues I praye yâ— shewe me well this ¶ Pauper Thou seest atte thyn eye that whan the smyth gryndeth a knyfe or an are or a swerde on his stone the stone doth nought but gooth about in one course And as the smyth that sytteth aboue wyll dyspose holde so gryndeth the stone Yf he wyll grynde sharpe it shall grynde sharpe yf he wyll grynde blunte and playne it shall grynde blunte playne right as he wyll that it grynde so it gryndeth Yf he take awaye the knyfe axe or swerde the stone gryndeth right nought and yet it gooth about the same course as it dyde byfore Right so it is of god the bodyes aboue For the planetes the bodyes aboue gone alwaye about in one course certayne in whiche god or deyned theym at yâ— begynnyng of the worlde whiche course they shall kepe vnto the dome And as god wyll that they worche soo shall they werke yf god wyll that they grynde sharpe cause mo reyne sekenes tempestes hungre warre suche other they shall do so yf he wyll that they grynde playne smothe cause helthe of bodye fayre weder holsome plente of corne vytayles peas reste they shall doo so Right as god wyll what that they worche so they shall werke So that god may do with the planetes what he wyll he may do without the planetes what he wyll In what sygne in what constellacoÌ„n coniunccoÌ„n or respecte that they be they be alwaye redy to fulfyll the wyll of god Caplm .xix. DIues Sythen god may doo with the bodyes aboue what he wyll whan he wyll and sythen god is so free in his doynge not arted
began to fyght ayenst the cyte anone they cam out shewed her charter of peas And how that Iosue the prynces of goddes people also hadde sworen to theym to saue theyr lyues the people wolde haue slayne theym bycause of theyr gyle Than Iosue and the prynces sayden to the people We may not slee them for we haue sworen to theym in the name of our lorde And yf we forswere vs god shal take vengeaunce of vs. ¶ Diues I trowe that clerkes now a dayes wolde saye that they were not bounde to kepe that othe sythen they gate that othe of theym with soo grete begyle ¶ Pauper Yf they auysed them wel they wolde saye as Iosue sayd For as I fyrst sayd a man ought to kepe his othe yf it be lefull though he made it for drede of deth For euery othe leful ought to be kepte though it be neuer so moche ayenst herte and that sheweth god well afterwarde For as we fynde the seconde boke of the kynges xxi Thre hondred yere after Saull kyng of goddes people slewe all the Gabaonytes y◠he myght fynde to plese his people whiche hated alwaye y◠Gabaonites for theyr gyle God was dyspleased with y◠dede lete y◠kyng Saull soone after slayne in batayll all his housholde moche of goddes people After in tyme of Dauyd that reygned next after Saull Ther felle suche an hongre in the londe of Israell thre yere togydre y◠moche of goddes people perysshed Dauyd axed of god what the cause was of y◠hongre God sayd that the deth of the Gabaonytes whiche Saull had slayne y◠was cause therof Dauyd sente after the Gabaonytes that were lefte and sayd to them I knowe well that for you sake this hongre myschyef is fallen in my realme Axe ye amendes what ye wyll and I shall do it Than they sayd we axe neyther golde ne syluer ne no mannes deth of Israell but oonly vengeaunce on Saull and his kynrede that soo wyckedly oppressed vs and destroyed vs. We axe that euery man of his kynred be slayne and that none be lefte of his kynrede Dauyd myght not graunte that axynge for that othe that he hadde made to Ionatas the sone of Saull to saue his kynrede Than they axed seuen men only of the kynrede of Saull to hange them on y◠gebettes ayenst the sonne so to slee them dyspyteously in punysshynge of the spyte y◠Saull had do to goddes holy name in y◠he dyde ayenst the solempne couenaūtes y◠his predecessours had made confermed swerynge by goddes holy name for in that Saull toke that othe goddes holy name in vayne As sayth the maystre of the storyes Whan this was done the hongre cessed anone began rayne plente of corne fruyte ¶ Diues This ensample is full good sheweth well that euery othelefull made sholde be kepte And that euery man woman sholde flee to do dyshonour or spyte to goddes holy name Also it sheweth well y◠periury dyspysynge of goddes holy name is cause of shedynge of blood of hongre of myschyef and that god wyl not suffre that his holy name be dyspysed ne taken in vayne ¶ Pauper Therfore god sayth that euery man woman that so taketh his holy nama in vayne I shall doo to the as thou haste doo thy swerynge in dyspyte of me chargest not to breke couenaūt therfore thou shalte bere thy synne haue dyspyte therfore Eze .xvi. Also he sayth thus by the prophete Yf ye wyll not here ne sette in your herte to gyue worshypp to my name I shall sende to you hongre and nede and myschyef And I shall curse your blessynges and take your myght from you that ye shall not witstande Malachye .ij. ◠¶ Here endeth the seconde cōmaundement and begynneth the thyrde Caplm primū DIues I thanke the moche For now knowe I better than I dyde byfore how the seconde cōmaūdement sholde be kepte and what peryll it is to take goddes name in vayne Now I praye the enfourme me in the thyrde cōmaundement ¶ Pauper In the thyrde cōmaūdement god byddeth that thou sholdest bethynke the haue well in mynde to halowe thyn holydaye Sixe dayes thou shalte werke do all thyn owne werkes In the .vij. daye in the sabbot that is to saye reste of thy lorde god In that daye thou shalt doo no seruyle werke neyther thou ne thy sone thy doughter ne thy seruaunte man ne woman ne thy beest ne the straūgers that ben within thy yates ¶ Diues Why badde god that the .vij. daye sholde more be halowed than the .vi. daye ¶ Pauper For as god sayth there In .vi. dayes he made heuen and erthe and the see and all thynge that is therin And in the .vij. daye he rested and cessed of his werkes and therfore he blessyd that daye and halowed it and ordeyned that in that daye man and beest sholde reste and that man that daye in a specyaall sholde thanke god for all the creatures that he made byfore in the .vi. dayes he made them to helpe and seruyce and solace of man ¶ Diues Why sayth holy wryte that god rested than the .vij. daye in soo moche as that he neuer trauaylled For as saynt Austyn sayth he made all thynges without trauayll and as holy wryte sheweth Genesis pri ◠He sayd but this one shorte worde Fiat and badde that it sholde be done anone it was done as he wolde haue it ¶ Pauper Whan holy wrytte sayth that god rested the .vij. daye he vnderstandeth therby that in the .vij. daye he cessed for to make newe creatures for euery thynge was made by fore in the .vi. dayes eyther in y◠thynge hymselfe as angell lyght sonne mone and sterres eyther in his kynde and in his symplytude as man beest fysshe foule and grasse and trees eyther in his causes as thynge gendred of corrupcōn and thynges made by crafte For god in his godhede was neuer in trauayll but alwaye in blysfull reste without ende And therfore holy wrytte sayth not that he rested after his werke ne in his werke but that he rested from euery werke that he had made for he had no trauayll for ony werke he was not holpen by his werke for he made no thynge for nede but al for loue ¶ Diues Yet contra te Cryste sayth in the gospell Io. Pater meus vsque mode operat et ego operor My fader werketh vnto this tyme I werke also Therfore it semeth that god cessed not the vij daye from euery werke ¶ Pauper Two maner of werkes longen to god creacyon and gouernaunce From the werke of creacyon he cessed the .vij. daye and than prycypally he began the werke of gouernaunce and of kepynge the whiche werke he contynueth and shall contynue without ende And of this werke of gouernaunce speketh Cryste the wordes in the gospell but not of the wordes of creacyon ¶ Diues Ben ther ony mo causes why god badde
enhaūseth rightfull dome And but god had ended his werkes in mercy in the vij daye slaked his harde dome ayenst mankynde for Adams synne ellys his werkes had not ben complete ne parfyght in asmoche as y◠pryncypal creature for whom he made all thynge was loste For whan the fynale cause of ony werke fayleth that werke is not complete ne parfyght For this mercy that god shewed to man whan he ordeyned rest in the .vij. daye that was called sabbot fygure of endelesse reste of mankynde Cryst sayth in the gospell That the sabbot was made for man not man for the sabbot Marci .ij. But synfull man be so blent with couetyse that he tourneth his dampnacōn his payne in to lykynge and hath leuer to trauayll to his vndoynge vnto his dampnacyon than to rest to his saluacōn And hath leuer to folowe the harde sentence of god to his punysshynge than to take his grace and his mercy to be eased Suche ben lyke oules backes whiche hate the daye loue the nyght lyke to the fendes of helle that neuer haue recte ne for malyce wyll seke reste Caplm .ix. QOre ouer my frende we fynde four maner of sabbottes in holy wrytte One sabbot of dayes that was the .vij. daye ordeyned of god for reste ease both of man of beest Also we fynde a sabbot of monethes ordeyned also of god for to reste both of man and beest that was the .vij. moneth that man and beest sholde reste theym than after the grete trauaylle that they hadde done in the two monethes byfore in whiche was theyr heruest to gadre corne wyne and oyle and other fruyte The vij moneth was Septembre as for than in that hote contree heruest was all done Also we fynde a sabbot of yeres that was the .vij. yere For that yere the londe rested y◠it myght bere the better the more plenteuously after for that yere was noo londe sowen Also we fynde a sabbot of sabbottes that was the fyfth yere ordeyned of god for reste of the londe of beest of man namely of them that were in trauayll of trybulacyon For than outlawed men myght come ayen home in surete Than bounde men were made free dettes forgyuen Than men resceyued ayen theyr herytage By the sabbot of dayes is vnderstonden reste from vyces in the lyfe actyf that hath .vi. dayes to werke in By the sabbot of mone is vnderstonden reste that men haue in the lyfe contemplatyf both from vyces temptacōns for that moneth was moche holy but not all holy Right soo they that haue the lyfe contemplatyf they haue more reste from vyces and temptacōns than they that haue the lyfe actyfe but ful reste haue they not in this worlde By the sabbot of yeres whan the londe rested the .vij. yere is vnderstonden the reste that our soules shall haue in the blysse of heuen whyles the erthe of our bodyes shall reste in the graue By the sabbot of sabbottes that was the .l. yere is vnderstonden the reste without ende that we shall haue in heuen whan we shal go ayen both bodye soule vnto our herytage that we loste thrughe Adams synne whan all our trauayll trybulaco n shall cesse all our woo tourne to wele by vertue of Crystus passyon Caplm .x. DIues Sythen the sabbot of dayes was moste solempne in the olde lawe for it was not lefull that daye to go ouer a thousande pass ne to dyght theyr mete more ouer that daye were offred two lambes passynge the comon sacrefyce that was done euery daye sythen than the solempnyte of the sabbottes is translated in the newe lawe in to the sondaye why is not the sondaye as worshypfull in the newe lawe as was the sabbot in the olde lawe For as that was called the sabbot of our lorde also the sondaye is called the daye of our lorde passynge all other dayes And yet we haue in the yere many dayes more solempne than is the sondaye ¶ Pauper All the festes of the newe lawe that ben the dayes and the sabbottes of our lorde For alle tho ben of hym selfe in hym selfe or ellys of hym selfe in his sayntes In the olde lawe was no feste of our lorde but only the sabbot whiche was halowed in mynde of the creacōn of the worlde in mynde that god the .vij. day cessed of creacyon And also than to thanke hym for his endelesse goodnesse that he shewed to mankynde in his creacyon whan he made all bodely vysyble creatures to serue man man to serue hym here in grace after in the blysse of heuen without ende Other festes of the olde lawe were but solēpnytees myndes of auentures prosperytes y◠felle to the Iewes in tyme of the olde lawe And therfor the sabbot amonges them was moost solempne And amonges vs also the sondaye is moost solempne and holy for the grete dedes and wondres that god dyde in the sondaye But for as moche as it cometh ofte we make it not alwaye lyke solempne for it falleth the sondaye in whiche god shewed his wondres as Esterdaye Wytsondaye to be more solempne than other comon sondayes Other festes also as Crystmasse daye Epyphanye daye in as moche as they ben our lordes dayes come but ones in the yere therfore we make more solempnyte in tho dayes than we doo comonly on the sondaye And so we do in many other festes for all they be festes and dayes of our lorde Neuerthelesse ther is no daye so solempne in themselfe as the sondaye for that is alwaye solempne for y◠wondres that god dyde therin Other dayes somtyme ben solempne and somtyme not solempne after that the festes therin falle by chaūgynge of the yere so that other dayes haue noo solempnyte of themselfe by custome ne by lawe but only by fallynge of festes as the yere chaungeth The thursdaye was some tyme as holy as the sondaye for Cryste styed vp that daye to the heuen And than began the processyon that we vse on the sondaye for than Cryste wente in processyon with his dyscyples out of Ierusalem in to the mounte of Olyuete and there he styed vp in the syght of theym all And the crosse y◠is borne byfore vs in y◠processyon betokeneth that Cryste deyed on the crosse and afterwarde he arose ayen from deth to lyfe And on the holy thursdaye wente he byfore his dyscyples ledyng them vnto the moūte of Olyuete But for as moche as many newe festes comen on and it was greuous for to kepe two dayes so lempne euery woke therfore the solempnyte of the thursdayes cessed the processyon in mynde of Crystes ascen s yon was translated in to the sondaye ¶ Diues Therfor me thynketh that the sondaye sholde be the more solempne ¶ Pauper So it is and so it ought for to be moost halowed thoughe holy chirche doo not alwaye than moost solempnyte for that daye is ordeyned for reste in the newe lawe both to man and
beest as the sabbot was ordeyned for reste in the olde lawe Caplm .xi. DIues Be we bounden by this coÌ„maundement to kepe the holy dayes that holy chirche hath ordeyned in the newe lawe ¶ Pauper Yes forsoth for though the coÌ„mauÌ„dement passed in that the it was cerymonyall as anentes tyme yet it dwelleth in that it was is morall byndeth vs to flee vyces serue our god one daye more than another whiche daye is yâ— sondaye in the newe lawe by ordenauÌ„ce of god holy chirche For as yâ— gospell sayth Ma. xij DnÌ„s est emÌ„ filius hoiÌ„s et sabbati The maydens sone Cryste Ihesus is lorde of the sabbot And for as moche as it was so euyll kepte in the olde lawe soo moche blood was shedde in the sabbot Cryste hyÌ„selfe suffred so moche despyte on the sabbot therfore he was dyspleased sayd by the prophetes Ysaye .i. and Ozee .ij. That he sholde noo lenger suffre theyr sabbottes but as a lorde of the sabbottes he chauÌ„ged that reste solempnyte of theyr sabbottes in to the sondaye for the causes whiche I sayd byfore whiche daye all yf it be the .viij. daye in the fyrste ordre of dayes yet it is but the .vij. daye in obseruauÌ„ce of the coÌ„maundement For we haue now .vi. dayes for to werke in in token yâ— god in .vi. dayes made all yâ— worlde the vij daye we halowe as god badde vs in token that god the .vij. daye cessed of creacoÌ„n ordeyned reste in yâ— sondaye As saynt Poule sayth in his pystle ad Colo .ij. That openly the sabbot other festes of the olde lawe were but shadowes fygures of the newe lawe And therfore after Crystus passyon tho festes cessed noo man ought to kepe them And who so kepeth them in that he forsaketh yâ— Cryste was borne of the mayden deyed for mankynde And saynt Gregorye in his pystle ad Ro sayth That all that halowe the satyrdaye for it was so holy in the olde lawe that ben Antecrystes dyscyples For Antecryste shall do men halowe both sondaye satyrdaye Sondaye for to drawe crysten peple to his secte for he shall fayne hym deed to aryse ayen fro deth to lyf on yâ— sonday And yâ— satyrdaye to drawe the Iewes to his secte De con di.iij Peruenit Caplm .xij. DIues Why wolde god make the worlde more in the nombre of .vi. dayes than in ony other nombre of dayes ¶ Pauper For as Salomon sayth God made al thynge in nombre in weyght and in mesure He made noo thynge to moche ne to lytyll But he made euery thynge parfyghtly in his kynde and ended all his werkes in parfyghtnesse And for the nombre of .vi. is the fyrste nombre euen yâ— is parfyght therfore he made all the worlde in nombre of .vi. dayes ¶ Diues How is yâ— nombre of .vi. dayes more parfyght than another nombre ¶ Pauper For all his partes yâ— mete him yf they be taken to gydre make euen .vi. as i.ij.iij make euen .vi. these .iij. mete hym For .vi. tymes one is .vi. thryes two is .vi. twyes thre is .vi. And this parfeccoÌ„n is in no nombre within .x. but in .vi. And fro .x. to an hondred is none but xxviij And fro an hondred to a thousande is but this euen nombre four hondred four score .xvi. The next is .viij. thousande one hondred and xviij thaÌ„ no mo suche but one with in an hondred thousande And who soo wyll fynde that he muste studye After an hondred thousande ben mo suche than all the clerkes vnder the sonne can telle and mo than ony herte may thynke or tongue can telle yet is it full harde to fynde one And for that .vi. is the fyrste parfyght nombre in this maner Therfore god wolde make this worlde in the nombre of .vi. in a token that all his werkes were parfyght And therfore sayth holy wryte GenÌ„ .ij. That heuen and erthe al theyr arraye were parfyght And for the same cause god made man the .vi. daye as for a parfyght and a noble creature For the same cause in the .vi. age of the worlde he bycame man And on the â—i daye a good frydaye the .vi. hour of the daye in the .vi. age he bought mankynde ayen with his precyous blood in token yâ— all his werkes were parfyght And the same nombre of dayes god hath grauÌ„ted vs for to werke in in token yâ— all our werkes sholde be parfyght good no thynge do amys that we sholde for noo couetyse do to moche ne for no slouth do to lytyll but holde vs alwaye in a meane in euenhe de for god grauÌ„ted vs no tyme to synne Therfore wyll he that we alwaye be euen with god and with our euen crysten as sixe is alwaye euen with his partes to gydre Caplm .xiij. DIues Why bad god reste on the .vij. daye more than an other daye ¶ Pauper In token that as .vij. cometh next after yâ— parfyght nombre of .vi. dayes of werkynge soo after parfyght werkes in this worlde shall folowe parfyght reste in the other worlde Also he badde reste in the .vij. daye for yâ— passeth the parfyght nombre in token yâ— he wyll that no thynge be done passynge parfeccoÌ„n And therfore all synne is comprehended in .vij. dedely synnes For as .vij. passeth yâ— parfyght nombre of .vi. so euery synne passeth parfeccoÌ„n is out of parfeccoÌ„n of all good werkes Also god badde reste the .vij. daye for he wyll that men reste them than both goostly bodely Goostly from besynesse thought of the worlde Bodely from bodely trauayll For why vij is made of four thre Four betokeneth bodely thynges made of four elementes Thre betokeneth mannes soule made to the lykenesse of the holy trynyte And therfor he badde reste in the .vij. daye that men sholde than rest both bodye soule Also god bad rest in the .vij. daye in token yâ— after parfyght werkes shal folowe endeles rest both of bodye of soule For this noÌ„bre vij in asmoche as all tyme all duracoÌ„n is coÌ„prehended in .vij. dayes therfore it betokeneth endeles lastynge And therfore reste on the .vij. daye betokeneth endeles rest Also my frende god ordeyned reste in the .vij. daye in token of .vij. blysses whiche we shal haue for parfyght werkes that we do here in .vi. dayes and .vi. ages of this worlde For anentes yâ— bodye we shall haue four blysses bryghtnesse beaute without ony spotte For as Cryste sayth in the gospell Men wymen shall shyne in heuen as bryght as the sonne Also men shall haue there inpassybylyte helth of bodye without all maner sekenesse no thynge shall dere them ne dysease them Also they shal haue delyuerhede of body lightne s se without lettynge for they sholde be as lyght as thought in twynkelynge of an eye be where as they wyll Also they shall haue sotylte of bodye without
the daye that god made make we now mery be ye gladde ¶ Diues CoÌ„tra Saynt Austyn saith that it were lesse synne to goo at the plough and at the carte carde and spynne in the sondaye than to lede daunces ¶ Pauper Saynt Austyn speketh of suche daunces playes as was vsed in his tyme whan crysten peple was moche medled with hethen people and by olde custome example of hethen people vsed vnhoneste daunces playes that by olde tyme were ordeyned to styre the people to lecherye to other synnes And so yf dauÌ„synge playnge now on the holy dayes styre men wymen to pryde to lechery glotonye sleuthe to ouer longe wakynge on nyghtes and to ydlenesse on the werke dayes other synnes as it is right lykely that they do now in our dayes than ben they vnlefull both on the holy daye on the werke daye And ayenst all suche spake saynt Austyn but ayenst honeste dauÌ„ces playes done in due tyme in good maner on the holy daye spake saynt Austyn not ¶ Diues Contra te We fynde in holy wryte yâ— god badde his people tormente theyr soules gyue theym to sorowe mournynge on the holy dayes Dies expiacionu erit celeberimus et vocabit sanctus affligetisque aias vraÌ„s in eo Ois aia que afflicta noÌ„ fuerit die hoc peribit de populis suis Leuitici .xxiij. Than it semeth that god wyll that men gyue them rather to mournyng in the holy daye than to myrthe or to welfare ¶ Pauper Salomon sayth Spes que differt affligit aiam ê“uer xiij The hope the desyre the longynge that is delayde tormenteth the â—oule For the more that man or woman longeth after a thyng the more it is dysease tyll he hath his dysease his longynge But now it is so that the reste the myrth the ease the welfare that god hath ordeyned in the holy dayes is a token of endlesse reste Ioye myrth welfare in the blysse of heuen that we hope to haue without ende For there men shall halowe without ende from all maner trauayl thoughte and care And therfore as I sayd fyrste god wyll that we thynke on the holy daye of the reste Ioye blysse that the holy daye betokeneth haue it in thought in desyre in longyng hope to come therto And so tormente our soules by longynge by sorowynge By longynge after the endelesse reste by sorowynge that for synne our desyre is so longe delayde In this maner god wyll that euery man and woman tormente his soule in the holy daye by loue louynge to god warde and by sorowe for goddes offence Not to shewe grete heuynesse outwarde to do bodely penauÌ„ce in ony grete holy daye More ouer my frende god badde not that the Iewes sholde tormente theyr soules in euery holy daye but only in one solempnyte that was called the feste of clensynge and of forgyuenesse For that daye god for gaue the Iewes the grete synne that they dyde whan they made theym a calf of golde syluer and worshypped that calf as god called it theyr god notwithstandynge all the wondres that god hadde sheweth them a lytyll byfore ledynge them thrughe the rede see drye fote drenched kynge Pharao all his oost and spake to them openly by voys of angellys from aboue the mount of Synay in thondre lyghtenynge in fyre and smoke and clowdes full grymme in voyces of trompettes of claryon ful dredefull to here And for asmoche as that greuous synne was fyrste forgyuen them in that daye and they were fyrst that daye made clene from that grete synne therfore god badde them that daye for Ioye of forgyuenesse He badde them also that daye tormente theyr soules for sorowe of that greuous synne and for theyr vnkyndenes that they sholde haue mynde of theyr synnes be ashamed therof And also haue in mynde goddes goodnesse ayenst theyr shrewednesse and thanke hym therof This daye was the tenth daye of Septembre Caplm .xviij. DIues Where fyndeste thou that god badde men make mery and to fare well in the holy daye ¶ Pauper In the same place of holy wrytte Leuitici .xxiij. Where we fynde that god badde the children of Israell take braunches bowes of palme trees of the fayrest trees that they myght fynde make theym tabernacles and dwelle therin seuen dayes togydre euery yere ones there to make mery byfore theyr lorde god in the mynde that god made theym to dwelle in tabernacles in deserte .xl. yere there saued theym and kepe them fro wo. And Esdras the prophete sayd to goddes people This daye is halowed to our lorde god wepe ye not ne mourne ye not ete ye gode metes fatte and drynke ye good drynkes and ye that maye sende ye parte to theym that maye not ne haue noo power wherof to dyght them mete or drynke Be ye not sory for it is goddes holy daye GaudiuÌ„ etenim dnÌ„i est fortitudo vestra The Ioye of our lorde is your strengthe that is to saye God is gladde that ye be stronge gladde and mery Neemie .viij. And therfore fastynge is forboden in the sondaye Di. xxx Si quis tanê™ â— Si quis presbiter Where fastynge is forboden in the sondaye And also ther sholde no fastynge be vsed moche from Ester to Pentecoste that is wytsontyde for Ioye of Crystus resurreccyon of our saluacyon Di. lxxvi Ieiunia Et de con di.i Ieiunium ¶ Diues Where fyndest thou in holy wrytte that daunces and songes ben lefull plesaunt to god ¶ Pauper We fynde Exodi .xv. That whan the childern of Israell were passed the rede see drye fote so that the water stode in eyther syde of them right vp as a walle god hadde drenched kyng Pharao and all his oost than Moyses made a mery songe praysynge to god whiche songe begynneth thus in latyn Cantemus dnÌ„o gloriose emÌ„ magnificatus est Than Marye the syster of Aaron toke her tymber in her honde all wymen that myght toke her tymbers to her hondes and wente daunsynge and syngynge the same songe praysynge and worshyppynge our lorde god We fynde also in the seconde boke of kynges in the vi chapytre that whan Dauyd sholde fetche goddes hutche in to Ierusalem Dauyd all the people of Israell wente therwith played in all maner mynstralles songe dauÌ„ced sprange for Ioye so praysed and worshyped god But Mychol Sauls doughter and Dauydes wyfe scorned Dauyd for his dauÌ„synge and for his spryngynge and sayd that it was not semely to a kynge so to sprynge dauÌ„ce as a knaaf byfore the people byfore her maydens Dauyd sayd to her I shall playe dauÌ„ce byfore my lord god that hath chosen me to be a kyng put thy fader all thy kyn froÌ„ the crowne I shall playe byfore my lorde god put me in lower degree for his loue
reste from theyr trauayles here in the holy dayes and after in endelesse blysse Caplm .xx. ALso my frende as the gospell sayth Marci .xij. Ye shall loue god with all your herte and with all your soule with all your mynde and with all your myght That is to saye as saynt Bernarde sayth Ye muste loue hym Dulciter prudenter fortiter Swetely wysely myghtely Swetely with all your herte with all your soule that ye haue lykynge in hym passynge all other Wysely with all your mynde with all your thought that ye studye be besye nyght daye to do his plesauÌ„ce to flee his offence Also ye muste loue hym myghtely stedfastely that neyther well ne wo departe you from his loue And therfor sayth saynt Poule that no trybulacoÌ„n hongre ne thruste hete ne colde lyfe ne deth ne no creature sholde departe vs from the charyte in Cryste yf we loued hym as we sholde loue Ye shal loue your god with all your herte so that ye loue nothynge but for hym in hym Ye shall loue hym with all your soule so that ye spende all your wyll all your affeccoÌ„n in his loue Ye shall loue hyÌ„ with all your mynde so that ye spende all your thoughtes in his loue Ye shall loue hym with all your myght soo that ye spende all your myghtes in his loue so that ye assente to nothynge ne thynke nothynge ne do nothynge ayenst his plesauÌ„ce ne that sholde lette his loue ne departe you froÌ„ his loue The fyrst coÌ„mauÌ„dement techeth vs to loue hym myghtely The seconde techeth vs to loue hym wysely The thyrde recheth vs to loue hyÌ„ swetely in ease reste of herte By the fyrste coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t god techeth vs fayth right byleue By the seconde he techeth vs hope For as he sayth by the prophete QmÌ„ in me sperauit liberabo eum ê“tegam euÌ„ qmÌ„ cognouit nomen meuÌ„ For he hoped in me I shal delyuer hym I shall defende hym for he hath knowen my name Beatus vir cuius est nomen dnÌ„i spes eius et non respexit in vanytates et insanias falsas pÌ„o .xxxix. Blessyd be that man whose hope is in the name of our lorde and hath taken hede to no vanytees ne to no false wytnesses for to forswere hym and to take goddes name in vayne For as saynt Poule sayth Ther is no name in whiche we may be saued but in goddes swete name Ihesus And therfore they that haue goddes name in worshyppe may haue syker hope to be saued And tho that haue it in despyte ought to be in grete drede By the thyrde coÌ„mauÌ„dement god techeth vs charyte For charyte and good loue is reste in euery wo trauayll for loue maketh trauayll lyght easy that sholde ellyâ— be full vneasy By the fyrst coÌ„mauÌ„deme t of charyte we be bouÌ„de to shewe loue to god in herte in worde in werke And therfore god byddeth that we sholde loue hym with all our herte with all our soule mynde that is to saye with all our speche For speche outwarde is a token of thoughtes inwarde Also he byddeth vs loue hym with all our myghtes that it to saye with all our werkes And so the fyrst coÌ„maundement of the fyrste table techeth vs to loue god with all our hert The seconde techeth vs to loue hym with al our worde shewe hyÌ„ loue in speche for who so loueth an other wel he wyl speke good worshyp of hym that he loueth be gladde to here of his good name speke of hym good worshyp and sory to here his name despysed dyffamed By the thyrde coÌ„mauÌ„dement we ben taught to shewe loue to god in dede that is to leue our owne occupacoÌ„ns on the holy dayes gyue vs pryncypally to serue god to be occupyed with hyÌ„ do nothyng but for his loue to his worshyp or for grete nede of our selfe For who so loueth an other wel he wyl seke a tyme to speke with hym to dele with hym And therfor god byddeth vs halowe well the holy dayes attende than well to hym occupye vs with hym as with our dere loue that made vs of nought bought vs full dere with his precyous blood saueth vs kepeth vs gyueth vs all that we haue of ony good fyndeth vs al that vs nedeth moche more And yf we loue hym in this maner with all our myghtes dedes werkes halowe thus the holy daye the sabbot that he hat boden vs halowe He sholde gyue vs a sabbot reste in heuen as the ê“phete Ysaye sayth it shall be a sabbot of sabbottes yâ— is to saye endelesse rest betokened by temporel rest in the holy daye moneth of monethes that is to saye endelesse myrthe betokened fygured by temporell myrth in the holy daye Ysaye .lxvi. Amen ¶ Here endeth the thyrde coÌ„maundement and begynneth the fourthe Caplm PrimuÌ„ DIues As me thynketh now thou haste declared the coÌ„maundementes of the fyrste Table full well and parfyghtely to mannes soule Now I praye the for goddes sake for to perfourme that thou haste begonnen and wyll declare to me now the commaundementes of the seconde Table that I may the better knowe the lawes of god and the more plesauntly serue my god and kepe me the more peasyble in charyte with myn euen crysten For as I haue vnderstanden all the seuen coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of the seconde Table ben knytte togydre in the seconde coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of charyte which byddeth vs loue our euen crysten as our selfe ¶ Pauper Mankynde hath two begynnynges The fyrste begynnynge and begynner is god And the seconde begynnynge and begynner is the fader and the moder By the fyrste coÌ„mau dement of the fyrste table we be caught to worshyp god aboue al thynges as hym that is begynnynge of vs and of all creatures By the fyrste coÌ„maundement of the seconde table we be taught to worshyp fader and moder that ben our begynnynge next after god And therfore he sayth in the fyrste coÌ„maundement of the seconde table Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam That is to saye worshyp thy fader and thy moder By the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of the fyrst table he taught vs to loue god aboue all thynge By the coÌ„maundementes of the seconde table he techeth vs to loue our euen crysten as our selfe And for as moche as charyte is moost shewed by worshyppynge helpynge of our euen crysten Therfore he begynneth by techynge of worshyp yâ— ought to be done to theym that we owe by waye of charyte moost to worshyp after god moost to helpe that is fader and moder And therfore he sayth Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam Worshyp thou thy fader and thy moder By whiche coÌ„maundement we ben bounden to helpe our bodely fader moder at nede and be to theym buxom and meke and flee theyr dyspleasauÌ„ce not despyse them not angre them vnresonably not banne ne
be without penaunce or sorowe and contrycyon for his lynne And all that were assentynge to false wytnesse to periurye sholde do the same penauÌ„ce IbideÌ„ The wordes of wytnesse sholde be taken to the beste vnderstandynge mooste benygne Extra li. ij.ti de testibus ca. cuÌ„ tu The wytnesse that ayensayth hymselfe is of no credence Extra li. ij ti.de ê“bacionibs ca. licet Men sholde stande to the fyrst speche that man or woman sayth in his cause yf he varye an other tyme e. ti per tuas Yf the wytnesse by dystraccoÌ„n saye amys it is leful to hym anone to ameÌ„de his speche but yf he abyde with an Interuall though he chauÌ„ge his worde amende it he shall not be accept ne herde Extra li. ij.ti de testibus cogendis ca. preterea Wytnesse in dome sholde not be herde ayenst hym that is absent but he were obstynate and wolde not come Extra de testibus ca. ij He that sayth fyrste the treuth muste be taken for one wytnesse e.ti. in omni Yf a man haue sworne to the partye not to bere wytnesse of the treuth with the other partye his othe is vnlefull And therfore not withstandynge his othe he may bere wytnesse of the treuth e Intumauit Noo man shall bere wytnesse to an other in his cause yf he haue the same cause or ony lyke that to spede for hymselfe For suche a persone is suspecte that he wolde do fauoure to an other mannes cause to haue hym fauorable to hym in his cause e.ti. personas Noo mannes wytnesse shall be resceyued in dome in preiudyce of an other but yf he swere though the wytnesse be a man of relygyon e ti nuê“ The honeste the worshyp of the wytnesses is more to charge than the multytude e ti in nostra For to dyscusse yrre gularyte of bygamye both lewde maÌ„ lewde woman maye be taken for wytnesse e ti tam is Seke folke and poore folke may not be compelled to come byfore the Iuge to bere wytnes But the Iuge may sende to them wyse men to wyt of them the trenth e ti si â— Euery man woman sholde hate false wytnesse for god hateth false wytnesse as Salomon sayth Deus odit testem fallacem Prouer .vi. Aud euery lyer is a false wytnesse full of gyle And the sodayne wytnesse dysposeth ordeyneth a tonge of lyenge For he yâ— is redy to bere wytnesse byfore he be auysed he dyspeseth hyÌ„ to lye Prouer .xij. But as Salomon sayth The false wytnesse shall not be vnpunysshed and he that speketh lesynges shall perysshe Prouer .xix. Ferthermore leue frende ye shall vnderstande that ther ben thre maner of wytnesses Caplm .xiij. THer is a wytnesse aboue vs yâ— knoweth all and may not be dysceyued that is god that seeth all and he shall at the daye of dome be to vs both Iuge wytnesse Ego sum iuder et testis I am Iuge and wytnesse sayth our lorde god Ieremie .xxix. And Iob sayth In heuen is my wytnesse and he that knoweth all my couÌ„seyll is aboue in hyghe And ther is a wytnesse within vs that is our conscyence For as saynt Poule sayth Oure Ioye is wytnesse of our conscyence And ther is a wytnesse without vs yâ— is our neyghbour all creatures yâ— shall bere wytnesse ayenst vs at the dome byfore the hyghe Iuge but we amende vs by tyme deme wel our selfe For Moyses sayd Testem inuoco celuÌ„ et terraÌ„ I calle heuen and erthe to wytnesse yâ— yf ye make to you ony lykenesse or ymage to worshyp it and breke goddes lawe ye shall soone perysshe Deutro .iiij. And in an other place he sayth thus I calle heuen and erthe to wytnesse that I haue sette byfore you lyfe and dethe good and euyll blessynge and curse And therfore chese the lyfe that ye may lyue and loue your lorde god and obeye to his voyce and clyue to hym by fayth and loue for he is your lyfe and lengthe of your dayes And your herte be tourned awaye from hym and ye wyll not here his lawes but worshyppe false goddes I saye to you byfore that ye shall soone perysshe Deutro .xxx. And therfore leue frende yf we wyll be syker at the last dome come sykerly byfore our souerayne Iuge that knoweth all we muste deme well our selfe in this worlde For saynt Poule sayth That yf we demed well our selfe dyscussed well our lyfe we sholde not be dampned Pri â— ad Corum .xi. ¶ Diues How sholde we deme our selfe ¶ Pauper As the glose sayth there Thou shalt be thyne owne domesman Thy seete shall be thyne herte and set thy selfe gylty byfore thy selfe domesman Thy thought thy conscyence shall be thy two wytnesses for to accuse the Thy tourmentours sholde be drede and sorowe that in maner sholde she we thy blood by wepynge of salt teeres whan by wytnesse of thyne owne conscyence and of thy thought thou haste demed thy selfe gylty and not worthy for to come to goddes borde ne to heuens blysse And there sayth the glose That sekenesse feblenesse and sodayne deth falle comonly after Eester amonges the people For men in Eester resceyue vnworthely goddes flesse his blood Ideo multi infirmi et imbecilles et dormiunt multi s per morteÌ„ Prima ad Corum .xi. But for euery man is fauourable to hymselfe and to his owne cause therfore thou shalt haue with the two assessours by whose couÌ„seyll thou shalt deme thy selfe and tho shall be treuthe and reasone Take with the treuthe that thou make no false excusacyon of thy synne Ne lye thou not for to excuse thyselfe ne for to excuse thyselfe falsely ne to greuously but as thyne other assessour reason wyll accorde And yf tho two wytnesses yâ— is to saye thy thought and thy conscyence suffyse not to bere wytnesse ne to ful enfourme the of thy synfull lyf Take to the the thrydde wytnesse that is thy fayth And soo lete thy dome stande in wytnesse of two or of thre And fayth sayth thus Fides sine operibus mortua est Fayth without good werkes is deed For alle though you byleue as a crysten man but thou lyue as a crystin man ellys thou art deed in soule and worthy to dye without ende Fayth that fayleth in worde and in thought is deed and helpeth not to blysse And anone conscyence and mynde shall accorde to hym and saye thus He that vseth amys his free wyll that he dye it is reson without remedye sauynge goddes mercy And take hede that thy clergy may not saue the. For holy wryt and clergye saye Anima peccatoris morâ—etur The soule of the synner shall dye Also thy clergy may not saue the yf thou be in dedely synne For thou art bygamus and twyus wedded Fyrste to cryste in thy baptym after to the fende by assent to synne And so thou art wydowe fro cryste wedded to an other wydowe that is the fende forsaken of god
ryghtfulnesse and lytyl or nought wolde do for my loue For whan I was hongrye ye wolde not fede me whan I had thurste ye gaue me noo drynke whan I was naked ye hylde me not whan I sought myne harborowe ye resceyued me not whan I was seke and in pryson ye vysyted me not And therfore wende ye hens from me in to the fyre of helle without ende there to dwelle with the fende his angelles O sayth saynt Gregorye thou synfull wretche what shalt thou do flee may thou not ne hyde the may thou not yf thou appere as nedes thou must thou art but shent for there thou shalt haue all thynge ayenst the. Aboue the thou shalt haue the dredefull domesman redy to dampne the. On yâ— ryght syde thou shalt hane thy wycked werkes to accuse the. On yâ— lyfte syde the foule fendes redy to drawe yâ— to helle Byneth the thou shalt haue the endeles depnes redy to swolowe the in without the thou shalt haue all the worlde on fyre redy to brenne the within the thou shalt haue thyn owne conscyence worste of all gnawynge the fretynge the without ende Than as the wyse man sayth All creatures shall fyght ayenst vs. SapÌ„ .v. Than as the grete clerke sayth Crysostomus Heuen erthe water sonne mone nyght daye all the worlde shall stande ayenst vs in wytnes of our synnes And though alle thynge were stylle oure thoughtes our conscyence our werkes shall accuse vs stande wytnesses ayenst vs. Therfore saynt Austen in his Omelye suê“ illud Estote misericordes sayth thus Bretheren take ye hede to the mercy of god and to the harde dome of god Now is tyme of mercy after it shall be tyme of dome Now god calleth ayen that ben tourned awaye fro hym forgyueth them ther synnes that tourne ayen to hym he is full pacyent abydeth of wretche that men sholde tourne them to hym and be saued And anone as synners tourne them ayen to god he forgyueth synnes that ben passed byheteth Ioyes to comyng Now god sâ—yreth monesteth them that ben slowe to good dedes he conforteth them that ben dyseased he techeth them that be studyouse helpeth them that fyght ayenst vyces He forsaketh no man ne woman that trauayleth to doo well yf they calle to hym He gyueth to vs that we sholde gyue ayen to hym to please hym whan we haue offended hym For we haue not gyuen hym ne wherwith to queme hym but that we take of hym The tyme of mercy is ful grete I praye you brethern al lete ye not this tyme passe you but take ye it whyle ye may After this tyme shall come tyme of dome whan men shall do harde penauÌ„ce without fruyte for it shall not helpe them Than synners that had theyr welth in this worlde shall syghe saye with grete sorowe Quid nobis profuit suâ—bia â— What hath prouffyted to vs pryde what hath now holpen vs our pompe our boost our rychesses All these ben passed awaye ryght as a shadowe These ben the wordes of saynt Austen Caplm .xv. THan they yâ— shal be dampned shall saye a sawe of sorowe yâ— neuer shall haue ende Defecit gaudiuÌ„ cordis nriÌ„ vsus eÌ„ in luciuÌ„ chorus nrÌ„ cecidit corona capit nriÌ„ ve nobis quia peccauimê° The Ioye of our herte is done past awaye to sorowe care is tourned our playe the garlonde of our hede is falle to grouÌ„de that euer we dyd synne wel awaye the stouÌ„de Trenorum iiij Therfore leue frende take we to vs the tyme of mercy amende we vs whyle we may for ellys we shall not whan we wolde And the lenger the god suffereth folke to regne in theyr synne the more pacyence that he hath with theym the harder he shal smyte them but they ameÌ„de them And therfore the dome of god is lykened to a bowe for the bowe is made of .ij. thynges of a wronge tree a ryght strynge Soo the dome of god is made of two maner folke Of them that ben wronge thorugh synne lyue wronfully do moche wronge and of them that be ryght ryghtfull in lyuynge The archer shetynge in this bowe is cryste And the more yâ— the bowe is drawe abacke the harder is smyteth whan the archer louseth So the lenger yâ— cryste abydeth soo draweth his dome abake the harder he shal smyte but folke amende them And as the archer in his shetynge taketh the wronge tree in his lyfte honde the ryght strynge in his ryght honde draweth them atwynne so cryste at the dome shall set the wronge lyuers on his left honde the ryghtfull lyuers on yâ— ryght honde set the arowe in his bowe that shal be the dredfull sentence of his dome drawe the rightful from the wronge the good froÌ„ the wycked whan he shall saye to the ryghtfull Come ye with me vp in to heuens blysse without ende to the wronge lyuers he shal saye go ye hens frome downe in to helle payne without ende Of this bowe the ê“phete sayth ArcuÌ„ suuÌ„ teteÌ„dit parauit illuÌ„ God hath bente his bowe made it redy he hath arrayed or made redy ther in tacle of deth hath made his arowes hote with brennynge thynges For they that ben brente with synne shall brenne with the fyre of helle without ende Of this bowe Dauyd also sayth Dedisti metuentibus te significacoÌ„em vt fugiâ—t a facie arcus Lord thou hast gyuen a tokenynge to them yâ— drede the to flee awaye from the face of the bowe Caplm .xvi. DIues What tokenes ben tho ¶ Pauê‘ Ther is dome in specyal dome in generall that shall be in the laste daye of this worlde Dome in specyall eche man hath anone as he dyed And therfore cryst sayth NuÌ„c iudiciuÌ„ eÌ„ muÌ„di Now is dome of the worlde for anone as thou art deed thou shalt be demed eyther to heuen or to helle or to purgatorye Of this dome speketh Salomon Memor esto iudicij mei Haue mynde of my dome for suche shall be thy dome yesterdaye it felle to me to morowe it shall falle to the. Byfore this dome go many tokenes of warnynge to synfull wretches as age sekenesse feblenesse dasewynge of syght blyndnesse deefnesse rymplynge or reuelynge of skynne fadynge of coloure faylynge of mynde losse of catel of frendes by deth other ¶ Diues Whan shall yâ— daye of generall dome faile ¶ Pauper Cryste sayth in the gospell ther is none angell ne saynt in heâ—en that wote whan it shal falle But sodaynly and vnwarly it shall falle and come as a theef as deth doth to many a man that wyll not beware by tokenes byfore No more shall than man blent with synne be ware of the laste dome ne of the fyrste yâ— shall be deth no more than the men wolde be ware by the prechynge of Noe to flee the flood that drenched all
saue .viij. soules ¶ Diues Sythen eche man and woman is demed anone as he is dede wherof shall serue the generall dome ¶ Pauper That all men hethen crysten may see the ryghtfull dome of god not only in themself but in all other yâ— hethen men may see knowe theyr false byleue for whiche they ben dampned And crysten men see knowe theyr vnkyndenesse and how ryghtfully they all other ben dampned that dye in dedely synne Caplm .xvij. MAnnes dome is peruerted by foure thynges as sayth the lawe xi.qÌ„.iiij Quatuor by drede by couetyse of gyftes by hate by loue But cryste he is almyghty he dredeth noo man He is lorde of all he nedeth no mede ne gyftes He hateth noo good man ne woman and therfore he shall dampne noo good man ne good woman He loueth all maner ryght and therfore he shall do no wronge He knoweth all therfore ther shall noo false wytnesse ne slyght of men of lawe desceyue hym Euery man shall be there a true wytnesse of his owne dome for his owne conscyence shal saue hym or dampne hym And therfore leue frâ—nde be ye a true wytnesse of your self in this worlde to saue your selfe here in tyme of grace than shall ye be a true wytnesse to your selfe to saue your selfe in tyme of the dome False wytnesses in this worlde haste theyr ryghtfull doome of dampnacyon in the other worlde For they ben false wytnesses to themselfe and to the other also As sayth saynt Iohan with the gylden mouth super Matheum opere imperfecte Omelia .vi. Ther is no man able to be a true wytnesse to an other man but he be fyrste a true wytnesse to hymselfe in his owne dome Art the dome god shall axe of vs rekenynge and answerynge of the benefyces that we haue taken of hym he shall axe theym ayen in nombre in weyght and in measure He shall axe of vs how ofte we haue resceyued of his gyftes how moche we haue resceyued how we haue spente them And the lettres and the tayles of our conscyence shall answere and saye that we haue resceyued goodes of kynde that is to saye of bodye and of soule Also goodes of fortune that ben temporal goodes and temporall rychâ—sses and goodes of grace that ben vertues and connynge Than the souerayne Iuge shall axe of vs answere of his benefyces in the plurell nombre saynge Esuriui â— I hadde hongre and ye gaue me no mete I hadde thryste and ye gaue me no drynke I was naked and ye clothed me not I sought my harborowe and ye resceyued me not I was seke and in pryson ye vysyted me not ne conforted me not And sythen the dome shall be so hards to them that helpe not theyr euen crysten with theyr good at nede moche more strayt it shall be to them that robbe theyr euen crysten as to theues pylours extorcyoners manquellers lechours and to all wycked doers Than men shal gyue answere of euery ydell worde that they speke as cryste sayth in the gospell And as saynt Bernarde sayth the ryche man shal gyue answere of euery threde in his clothe of euery croÌ„me of brede in his brede skep of euery droppe of drynke of his barell in his tonne in his vessell Also cryste shal axe rekenynge by hole mesure For as Cryste sayth in the gospell Men shal there reken yelde to the lest ferthynge without forgyuene s se And suche mesure as men mete here to other shal be moten ayeâ— to them mercy for mercy harde for harde Also god shall than axe of vs rekenynge in weyght of strayt dome for all our dedes shal there be weyed by yâ— dome of god of our owne conscyence after that they weye they shal be rewarded the good in blysse the wycked in payne Than the honde of god shall wryte in the conscyence of euery man woman that shal be dampned these thre wordes Mane techel phares Whiche thre worder he wrote on the walle of thou kynges halle Balthasar to his dampnacoÌ„n Danielis â—nto Whiche vysyon appered to the kynge in tyme of the grete feest yâ— he made in despyte of god made men drynke in the vesselles of goddes temple whiche vesselles were halowed to god for Mane is to saye in englysshe God hath nombred thy kyngdome and dayes of thy reygne made an ende therof Techel is to saye thou art weyed in a balauÌ„ce and thou weyest to lytell Phares is to saye thy kyngdome is departed from the. For after the dome the lynful man may no lenger loke after the kyngdom of heuen whiche was ordeyned to hym yf he wolde haue deserued it But than he shal be departed fro yâ— kyngdom that he hath loste by his folye go to pryson of helle without ende whiche he hath deserued For than Cryste shall saye to euery man and woman Tolle quod tuuÌ„ est et vade Take that is thyne and that thou haste deserued and goo thy waye to heuen yf thou haue doo well or to helle yf thou haue doo amys and not amended the. Than all wycked crysten men shall be demed and dampned but hethen men shall be dampned not demed For as cryste sayth in the gospell He that byleueth not in cryste now he is demed Some shall be demed and saued as good crysten men comyn lyuers And some shall be saued not demed as men of perfeccoÌ„n For they shall deme other as Cryste sayth in the gospel Vos â— reliquistis omnia â— Ye that haue forsaken all worldely goodes for my sake and folowed me in pouerte and in perfeccyon ye shall sytte on .xij. setes demynge the .xij. kynredes of Israell that is to saye all that shall be demed Caplm .xviij. DIues It is a dredefull thynge to thynke on this dome ¶ Pauper It shall be more dredefull to here it to see it moost for to fele it and namely to ryche folke that haue resceyued many goodes of god not spended them ne dyspensed them to his worshyp And saynt Gregory in his Omelye sayth The more the gyftes of god come to a man the more were rekenynges answere of the gyftes Therfore saynt Iames speketh to you ryche men in this maner Agite nuÌ„c diuites â— Now ye ryche men do ye so yâ— ye may saue your selfe wepe ye wayle ye for your myscheues that shall falle to you but ye amende you Your rychesses ben roten your clothes be mothe eten your golde syluer is rusted the ruste therof shal be wytnesse ayenst you at the dome and ete your flesshe as fyre For ye kept your good so harde from the poore folke therfore you haue tresoured wrath and wretche to you in the laste dayes Iacobi .v. ¶ Diues Well is hym that is well deed ¶ Pauper And well is hym that wel lyueth For as saynt Austen sayth He that lyueth well may not euyll dye Therfore as I sayd
kabehouse whan folke were at the ouen and the ouen was glowynge hote Than sayde the foole sage to the natural foole whether the ouen be now hote as it semeth wyll we assaye sayd the other ye sayd the foole sage but whiche of vs shall go in to the ouen fyrste for to assaye Than sayd the naturell foole I shall goo in and thou shalte haue a bolle full of water and stande at the ouens mouth And yf I fele hete and I crye caste caste anone caste the water after me and quenche the fyre about me It shall be done sayd the other foole Than the naturell foole toke the foole sage a bolle full of water in his honde and he wente and crepte in to the ouen and anone as he was in he beganne to brenne And anone he cryed caste caste Whan the other foole sawe his foly he laughed so enterely at his foly that vnnethes he myght stonde on his fete Than the foole in the ouen cryed caste man caste I brenne to deth Than the other foole answered breÌ„ne thou yf brenne wylt dye yf thou dye wylt I laugh so that I may not caste And so the foole brent to deth in the ouen By tho two fooles I vnderstaude men yâ— dye theyr false executours for both ben they fooles For the executours ben grete fooles in that that they bynde theym to helle payne for theyr falsehede But they that dye ben more fooles in that that they truste more to other men than to themself For whan they shall crepe in to purgatorye that is hoter than ony ouen than they take to theyr executours a bolle full of water in theyr honde that is to saye golde and syluer and other rychesses for to do almesse for them and by almesdede by masses syngynge holy prayers refresshe them in theyr paynes kele the fyre about theym But comonly whan they haue this bolle of water in theyr honde haue the goodes at theyr wyll they laugh so make so mery and fare so well with the goodes of the deed that they may no thynge cast after them for they be full loth to forgo ony of the goodes And therwhyles yâ— synfull soule lyeth in purgatory suffreth ful moche wo cryeth after helpe nyght daye sayenge in this maner Miseremini mei miseremini mei salteÌ„ vos amici mei qr manê° dniÌ„ tetigit me Iob .xix. Haue ye mercy on me haue ye mercy on me namely ye my frendes for yâ— honde of god full harde hath touched me And whan they fynde no helpe of them yâ— sholde helpe them they axe vengeauÌ„ce on them nyght daye A grete clerke Turpinê° de gestâ— Karoli telleth that the kyng Charles had with hym a knyght in his oost a man of good conscyence whan he sholde dye he called to hyÌ„ his neuewe praynge hym that whan he were deed he shold selle his horse and his harneys do almesse and do synge thrytty masses for his loue He behyght hym well but lasted hym full euyll kept it stylle to his owne vse and dyd not as he badde hym doo Whan the thrytty dayes were passed in yâ— nyght folowynge the knyght apperyd in slepe to his neuewe axed hym why he had not done as he bad hym do Than he excused him by dyuer s e besynesses yâ— he fayned not that hadde And he axed his eme how he fared And than he answered sayd I shall telle the how I fare and how thou shalt fare Alle these thrytty dayes I haue ben in purgatorye and suffred ful moche woo and payne for defaute of helpe But now thanke be god I am passed purgatorye and goo vp to heuens blysse without ende But for thou woldest not helpe me as I badde the therfore as this daye mydmorowe thou shalt dye and goo to helle without ende On the next daye folowynge as he rode in yâ— oost on yâ— same horse tolde these dremes to his felowes as for a Iape at mydmorowe came sodaynly a blake skye with thondre lyghtnynge and grete nombre of fendes in lykenesse of rauens rokes hent hym vp fro the horse in the myddes of the oost flewe awaye with hym so that they sawe no more of hym tyll they came foure dayes Iourney thens amonges the mouÌ„tes of Nauerne There they founde hym all to rent and drawen lyth from lyth but his soule was drawen to helle By his cote armure they knewe well that it was yâ— same man ¶ Diues Be a man deed he fyndeth fewe frendes Caplm .xij. PAuper I rede in vita Barla am yâ— ther was a ryche man whiche had iij. frendes The fyrste frende the seconde he loued with all his herte but the thyrde frende he loued lytell or nought This man felle in suche a daunger ayenst his kyng that aâ— his good was forfetted eschetyd to the kyng hymselfe wened to haue ben slayn Than he wente to his fyrste frende that he loued soo moche praynge hym of helpe that he wolde go to the kyng speke for hyÌ„ saue his lyfe yf he myght Than he answerd sayd Fare well faue I knowe the not I haue other felowes frendes ynough with whom I haue my myrtes solace Nathelesse yf thou be slayne I shall gyue the a shete to burye the in Than he went to the seconde frende that he loued soo moche praynge hym also of helpe And he excused hym sayd I praye the haue me excused for I am so besye that I may not atende to the But yet for olde felaushyp I shall go with the on waye to the yate Than went he to the thyrde frende that he loued so lytel prayed hym of helpe sayd Leue frende I am ashamed to speke to the for I haue ben to the ful vnkynde lytell loue shewed to the. But I praye the haue reuth on me for goddes sake helpe me in this nede And than he answered hym and sayd Leue frende welcome be thou and be of good comforte for I am thy frende and wyll be thy frende and to helpe the that I may do thou shalt fynde me redy And anone he went dyde so and spake to the kyng that he saued 〈◊〉 lyfe delyuered hym out of all his daunger ¶ Diues So it fareth these dayes as longe as a man is in welth so longe he shall haue frendes ynough to take of him what they may and to flater hym and to please hym But yf he begynne to go donewarde than fyndeth he fewe frendes and many enemyes Therfore sayth the wyse man Tempore felici multi numerantur amici Cum fortuna perit nullus amicus erit In tyme of welth a man shall fynde frendes ynough But whan rychesses hap is gone he shal fynde fewe frendes fele fone Saye forth thy tale ¶ Pauê‘ By this ryche man I vnderstande euery man that hath rychesses goodes of this worlde By his fyrste frende yâ— he loued
pryncypall more gentyll wyues Lya Rachell foure of Lya two of Rachell And therfore god ordeyned theym to blesse in token that no man sholde be chosen to preesthode but he were gentyll by wantynge of cursed condycoÌ„ns And also in token that it is more kyndely to worshypfull persones as all prestes sholde be to blesse than to curse And therfore bysshoppes other prestes sholde not curse but for a ful greuous open synne for grete nede Therfore saynt Poâ—le sayth to men of perfeccyon as all prestes sholde be Benedicite et nolite maledicere Blesse ye be ye not in wyll ne redy to curse but for grete nede that it be done in charyte to worshyp For cursynge in the selfe is a dede of ImperfeccoÌ„n And therfore god chose them that were moost Imperfyte leste worshypfull of byrthe to pronouÌ„ce the curse the moost perfyte worshypful in byrth to pronouÌ„ce his blessynge to the kepers of his lawe whiche sayd thus in goddes name to the people Caplm .ix. IF thou here the voyce of thy lorde god to conne to kepe all his byhestes that I bydde the kepe thy lorde god shal make the hygher than all nacyons that dwelle vpon erthe And all these blessynges shall come to the take the so that thou kepe goddes byhestes thou shalt be blessyd in cyte in towne in felde The fruyte of thy bodye the fruyte of thy londe the fruyte of thy beeestes shal be blessyd thy berne thy garner thy seller shall be blessyd all thy leuynges shall be blessyd Thou shalt be blessyd comynge in and goynge out God shall make thyn enemyes that ryse ayenst the to falle in fyght byfore the. They shal come ayenst the by one waye they shall flee awaye by seuen wayes God shall gyue his blessynge prosperyte and spede to all thy werkes so that thou kepe goddes byhestis go in his wayes in his lawes yâ— al people on erth shal see knowe that the name of our lorde is called on the they shall drede the worshyp the and our lorde god shal make the plenteuous in all goodes God shal vndo his beste tresour aboue from heuen gyue the rayne in tyme. Thou shalt lene to other nacyons thou shalt haue no nede to borowe of other nacyons God shall make the in to the hede not in to the tayle For he shal put the alwaye aboue not byneth so that yâ— kepe his byhestes his lawes And at the daye of dome he shall gyue to all the kepers of his lawes his endelesse blessynge of euer lastynge Ioye say to them in this wyse Venite benedicti patriâ— mei possidete paratuÌ„ vobis regnu a â—stitucoÌ„e muÌ„di Math .xxv. Come ye with me ye blessyd childern of my faders take ye in possessyon the kyngdome of heuen arayed ordeyned to you from the settynge or makynge of the worlde In whiche kyngdome as sayth saynt Austen shall be lyght without derkenesse endelesse Ioye without heuynesse endelesse lyf without wo endelesse myrthe gladnesse with the blysfull companye of angels apostles all sayntes There he sayth is lyght of lyght well bryght shynynge There is the cyte of sayntes that is called Ierusalem of heuen Theâ— is yâ— grete couent of martyres of holy prophetes patryarkes Abraham Ysaac Iacob of al sayntes Theâ— is no sorowe ne heuynesse after Ioye There shall be no nyght none age no feblenesse There is charyte without ende euerlastynge peas no debate no dyscensyon There euery man woman hath that he loueth what he desyreth There is all loue without wo without sorowe care There shall we be angeles peres felowes in blysse with the hygh potestates Che rubyn Seraphyn with all yâ— nyne ordres of angels There shal be maÌ„na our heuenly fode without corrupcyon There shall be angeles lyfe shortly to saye there shall be sowne no sorowe no dysease none euyll and what may be thought of ony goodnesse there it shall be founde Caplm .x. THe kyngdom of heuen is called in holy wrytte a cyte sette on a full hygh hylle in stabylyte â—sekernesse without drede and without peryll for there maye none enemye noo peryll noo dysease nyghtherto It standeth so hygh and in so grete welthe for men haue in this cyte what euer they desyre There is nought to seke from without it nedeth no helpe from without But all muste seke helpe from within this cyte Therfor sayth Ysaye the prophete lx.ca. Helth sanacoÌ„n occupy the walles of this cyte kepe theym defende them and praysynge of god without ceasynge occupyeth the yates so kepeth hem that ther may no sorowe entre In this cyte sayth he shalt thou not nede to haue yâ— sonne to shyne to yâ— by dayene the lyght of the mone shal not shyne to the by nyght but thy lorde god cryst Ihesus that bought the so dere shal be lyght without ende thy god shal be thy Ioye there thy sonne shall neuer go downe thy more shal neuer wayne for thy lorde god shall be thy lyght without ende yâ— dayes of thy sorowe here in this worlde there shall be ended for god there shall wype awaye the teres from the eyen of his sayntes Ther shal be no wepynge no cryeng no hongre no thrust no sorow for all yâ— wo dyseases yâ— were byfore ben all past from them that come to this cyte All the people of this cyte shal be good ryghtful there shal no shrewe no bryger no lechour no wycked lyuer entre in to this cyte Theâ— euery man woman shall shyne as bryght as yâ— sonne whan many sonnes ben gadred to gydre in companye with the hygh sonne of ryghtfulnes cryst Ihesus whiche sayth in the gospell Ego suÌ„lux muÌ„di Io .viij. I am lyght of the worlde there shall be a fayre company a blysfull company God brynge vs therto Than yâ— sonne shall be .vij. tymes bryghâ—er than it is now the mone as bryght as the sonne is now Than the sonne shal stande in the eest alwaye styll the mone in yâ— west alwaye shynynge without wanyng So that synful soules dampned to helle vnd therth shall no confort haue neyther by sonne ne by mone In this kyngdome in this cyte is no wynde no storme no tempest no thondre no lyghtnyng no rayne hayl frost ne snowe no hete no colde Ther be no skyes no cloudes to let our lyght but alwaye mery somer alwaye bryght daye In this cyte al men wymen ben free The kyng of this cyte axeth no presauÌ„tes ne gyftes of man ne of woman but theyr hertes theyr loue that they fare well He putteth no man ne woman there to trauayle but he wyl that all be in rest in peas in ease And what ony man or woman there desyreth to haue he gyueth it to them anone He axeth no rente no trybute no seruyce
after his passyon saluacyon of mankynde the redempcoÌ„n torned the sorowe that holy chirche had on the satyrdaye by malyce of the Iewes in to reste blysse on yâ— sondaye And so it is fulfylled that the prophete Ieremy sayd .xxxi. Redemit dnÌ„s populuÌ„ suuÌ„ God hath bought ayen his people with his precyous blood and hath delyuered his people out of the fendes power God sayth I shall tourne theyr mournynge in to Ioye I shall gladde theym of theyr sorowe and conforte them And by the prophete Ozee he sayd that he sholde make the Ioye of the Iewes sabbottes and of all theyr solempnytees and of all theyr festes to cesse bycause of theyr synne Ozee .ij. Caplm .iij. ALso for halowynge in the satyrdaye was cerymonyal For as we fynde in dyuerse places of holy wryte namely Ezechielis xx Halowynge in the satyrdaye was a specyall token gyuen to the Iewes wherby they sholde be knowen from other people and so was circuÌ„cisyon and many other obseruauÌ„ces cerymonyes that god gaue theym to be knowen from other people And therfore right as the circuÌ„cisyon other obseruauÌ„ces that were bytaken them of god for a token of distynccoÌ„n from other people cessed in Crystus passyon so cessed halowynge in the satyrdaye in Crystus passyon For though it be a morall coÌ„maundement to halowe the .vij. daye yet it is not morall ne byndeth vs to halowe the .vij. daye in the satyrdaye And therfore we rede Exodi .xxxiiij. et .xxxv. That whan Moyses had ben in the mount of Synay with god .xl. dayes .xl. nyghtes without mete or drynke and spoken with god and there taken the lawe we of hym in two tables of stone two stemys and bemes of lyght rysen out of his face as it had be two hornes so shynynge so bryght that the people was adrede of hym and durst not speke with hym and therfore he put a veyll byfore his face whan he sholde speke to the people telle them the lawes and the wyll of god And whan he had soo hydde his face with the veyll The fyrste lawe that he gaue them in goddes name was to halowe the satyrdaye And he spake no worde than of the other .ix. coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes but tolde forth other obseruauÌ„ces cerymonyes whiche longed only to the Iewes were but fygures shadowes of thynges to come whiche cessed al in Crystus passyon And soo he shewed wel that halowyng in the satyrdaye was cerymonyale sholde cesse with other cerymonyes in Crystus passyon And therfore whan yâ— he badde them halowe the satyrdaye he put the veyll byfore his face in token that halowynge on the satyrdaye other cerymonyes lawes yâ— he gaue them that tyme was but a veyl helynge ghoostly vnderstandynge vnder fygures of thynges yâ— were to come And whan tho thynges were fulfylled by the passyon of Cryste yâ— veyl mysty syght of fygures sholde be done awaye cesse And in token therof in tyme of Crystus passyon the veyl of the Iewes Temple to rente cleef in two partes the men myght see all the preuy thynges yâ— were in the Temple whiche were byfore hydde fro yâ— syght of the people by yâ— veyl Also the same texte of the coÌ„maundement sheweth full well that halowynge in the satyrdaye sholde be translated in to the sondaye that is called the daye of the sonne For though god cessed in the satyrdaye from makynge of thynges of newe kynde yet in the satyrdaye he made the satyrdaye as he made eche daye byfore in the same daye But in the sondaye next folowynge he made no newe daye in kynde for that was the fyrste daye and soo he rested more in the sondaye from werkynge than he dyde reste in the satyrdaye Also after grete trauayll ought to be more reste But Cryste goddes sone hadde more trauayl in recreacyon and redempcyon of mankynde than he hadde to make al this worlde For in makynge of all the worlde he hadde no trauayll as sayth saynt Austyn but oonly he badde it sholde be done it was done anone what he wolde But in creacoÌ„n redempcyon of mankynde he trauaylled soo that he swoted blood for anguysshe deyed for trauayll shedde his herte blood cessed not of trauayll tylle in the morowe tyde of yâ— sondaye whan he rose from deth to lyue to comforte all mankynde that wolde byleue in hyÌ„ And he shewed openly than that he was is lorde of all thynge And sayd to his apostles that all the power in heuen in erthe was gyuen to hym in his manhode And therfore the sondaye is called the lordes daye Dies dnÌ„icus And therfor sythen god wolde that the satyrdaye sholde be halowed in the olde lawe for god cesseâ— than from creacyon so in that maner began to reste moche more he wyl that the sondaye be halowed in the newe lawe for god cessed than from the grete trauayll of our redempcyon and of our saluacoÌ„n creacyon Caplm .iiij. WE haue also fygures of this in holy wryte Leuitici .xxiij. â— where we fynde that god badde the childern of Israel kepe pryncypaly .vij. festes in the yere of the whiche the laste was called FestuÌ„ tabernaculorum The feste of Tabernacles He badde theym take bowes brauÌ„ches of palme trees and of other trees the fayrest that they myght fynde make them tabernacles logges dwelle therin .vij. dayes togydre in mynde that god made them to dwelle in tabernacles logges .xl. yere in deserte and there he saued them kept them he badde that the fyrste daye the viij sholde be full holy By this feste of tabernacles that came laste after the other festes of the Iewes ben vnderstanden the festes of the newe lawe whiche came laste in the ende of the worlde after the olde lawe For al the festes of the newe lawe ben festes of tabernacles For whan god came for to be man he made fyrste his tabernacle in the mayde Mary whiche tabernacle was arrayed dyght with the fayrest braunches and bowes of grace and vertues and of good thewys as it myght be founden in ony creature for she passed al creatures in grace and goodnesse Of this tabernacle speketh the prophete pÌ„o .xviij. In sole posuit tabernaculuÌ„ suuÌ„ et ipse tanquam sponsus ê“cedens de thalamo suo He made his tabernacle in the sonne that was our lady mayden and moder bryghter than the sonne He came out of her as an husbonde out of his chambre An other tabernacle god made hym in our manhode and in our kynde that was the blysfull bodye that whiche he toke of the mayden Mary For as the tabernacles were made of the fayrest braunches and bowes that myght be founde soo the bodye of Cryste was made gadred togydre of the clenest droppes of the blood that was in our blyssed ladye saynt Marye clene mayden without spotte of synne In this tabernacle god was born of yâ— mayden on Crystmasse daye In